The present invention relates to a drip irrigation line, and also to a method of making such lines.
Drip irrigation lines generally include a continuous tube having a plurality of openings therethrough along spaced intervals of the tube, and a plurality of flow reducer elements bonded to one face of the tube in communication with the openings so as to reduce the flow of the irrigation water outletted from the line to drips or trickles. Such drip irrigation lines are gaining widespread use because of their many advantages, including efficiency in the delivery of the irrigating water directly to the plant roots, and substantial savings in the irrigation water required. Examples of drip irrigation lines that have been previously developed are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,896,999, 4,307,841, 4,519,546, 4,702,787 and 4,728,042. U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,042 discloses a drip irrigation line wherein individual flow reducer elements or drippers are bonded at spaced intervals along the inner face of a continuous tube. U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,787 discloses a method of making drip irrigation lines wherein the flow-reducer or dripper elements are injection-molded onto a face of a flexible sheet, which sheet is subsequently used to form a seamed tube.